Arts & Entertainment Rockin' The Big White Way A producer of the Tony-nominated Rock of Ages developed his passion for theater at West Bloomfield High School. Jayson Raitt: "I love the challenge of Rock of Ages: The company. Alice Burdick Schweiger Special to the Jewish News p roducing two shows on the New York stage at the same time is a dream for many theater insiders. West. Bloomfield native Jayson Raitt, 37, is living that dream. One of the producers of the musical Rock of Ages, now performing to sold-out crowds on Broadway, Raitt nabbed a Tony nomination this spring for best musical, one of five awards the show competed for. And Raitt's long-awaited Vanities, a New Musical opens Off Broadway on July 2, with a run currently scheduled through Aug. 9. "I am thrilled about both shows being performed at the same time this sum- mer," says Raitt, who graduated from West Bloomfield High School in 1989."I worked on Vanities, a New Musical for a number of years and to see it reach fruition is won- derful. And to have a show as acclaimed and enjoyed as Rock of Ages — well, it rocks!" Raitt gravitates toward musicals because he loves telling stories through song and dance. "I have always been a huge fan of musical theater;' he says, "I love the challenge of putting all the pieces together." While some producers' primary goal is to raise money to fund a show, Raitt prefers the creative side. He attends staged readings and workshops to get to know writers and composers and enjoys devel- oping new material. "I like to shepherd new work and develop new projects from C4 July 2 • 2009 scratch to finish," he says. Rock of Ages is a jukebox musical featur- ing 1980s pop hits by the likes of Journey, Bon Jovi, REO Speedwagon and Twisted Sister. Starring American Idol alum Constantine Maroulis, the story is about a wannabe rock star from Detroit and an aspiring actress from Kansas who fall in love on the Sunset Strip in Los Angeles. Unique to this show, mini flashlights are handed out to audience members upon entering the theater so they can partici- pate in creating a rock-concert effect; and drinks are served in the aisles. Rock of Ages began Off Broadway before transferring to the Broadway stage. Raitt was at the Off Broadway opening and was introduced to one of the lead producers, "who suggested I get involved. He thought I could bring a different viewpoint and be a good support:' says Raitt. Raitt's new Off-Broadway show, Vanities, a New Musical, spans the 1960s through the late '80s and chronicles three Texas women from their teens to adulthood, exploring the importance of their friend- ship over the years. The suc- cessful long-running 1970s-era Jack Heifner play upon which it is based has been reinvented as a musical with a score by Jewish composer and University of Michigan graduate David Kirshenbaum (Summer of '42) and is directed by Tony winner Judith Ivey. Vanities, a New Musical: Lauren Kennedy, Anneliese van der Poi, Sarah Stiles. Originally, Vanities, a New Musical was scheduled to open on Broadway in February 2009, but it was postponed due to the recession. "Second Stage Theater asked if we would be interested in doing the show with them Off-Broadway; and in this economic climate, we felt it was a wonderful opportunity and made sense:' Raitt explains. Critics and audience response will determine the fate of the show. "It's possible that this show will transfer to Broadway like Rock of Ages," says Raitt, who produced Vanities at the Pasadena Playhouse in California last summer, where it had a successful run. "In the meantime, one of the top touring compa- nies has committed to setting up a tour, and we know it will do well in colleges and small theaters. It will likely come to Detroit, too." Raitt's passion for the theater began at West Bloomfield High, where he acted in school plays. He went on to earn a degree in film and television at the University of Michigan and a master's in film producing at UCLA. Raitt stayed in Los Angeles for some 12 years building his resume, including work- ing at Sony, doing fundraising and pro- ducing events at the Pasadena Playhouse (where in 2004 he encountered a young pre-American Idol named Adam Lambert, who had a small role in 110 in the Shade, a musical Raitt produced — "He was a nice kid:' he remembers) and developing new musicals in the community. In 2005, Raitt relocated to New York to make his mark on the Great White Way. Since moving to the Big Apple, he has produced the Festival of New Musicals for the National Alliance for Musical Theater and worked with New Line Cinema to promote the Hairspray movie by produc- ing cast appearances on Oprah, the Today show and for the Macy's Thanksgiving Day putting all the pieces together." Parade. He also produced the Off-Broadway show Make Me A Song: The Music of William Finn and Being Alive (an all-new, all-black-cast Stephen Sondheim produc- tion) in Connecticut and Philadelphia. To increase his opportunities, Raitt has networked with other Detroit-area Jewish friends who are influential on the New York theater scene, including producer Jeffrey Seller (Rent, Avenue Q and In The Heights), composer Andrew Lippa (The Wild Party, The Farnsworth Invention and the upcoming The Addams Family) and actor Douglas Sills (The Scarlet Pimpernel). "We Michigan folks stick together," he says. Despite his busy schedule, Raitt man- ages to get back home, especially for the Jewish holidays. "I am very close with my family, and I love to spend the High Holidays and Passover with them: says the producer, who celebrated his bar mitzvah at Temple Kol Ami in West Bloomfield. He is the son of Jane and Stephen Raitt of West Bloomfield and brother of Marni, who until recently worked in public rela- tions for the Detroit Symphony Orchestra. This summer, Raitt will help produce a series of concerts with Jewish cantors in Poland and Israel. "It's a celebration of cantorial and Jewish music over centuries:' he says. "There will be 70 American can- tors and members of their congregations going on the trip. One of our concerts will be at the opera house in Warsaw with a 70-piece orchestra." Presently, Raitt is developing a couple of new musicals, including a catalogue of works by composer Bob Merrill (Funny Girl, Sugar, Carnival, Take Me Along, New Girl in Town). He also is working on a holiday show based on Truman Capote's A Christmas Memory. "I have had many great moments in my career so far:' says Raitt, "and I can't wait to see what's next." Rock of Ages is at the Brooks Atkinson Theater, 256 W. 47th St., in New York City. (212) 307-4100. Vanities, a New Musical runs July 2-Aug. 9, with possible extensions, at the Second Stage Theater, 307 W. 43rd St., in New York City. (212) 541-4516.